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Thursday, August 15, 2013

An Honest Boy, Un hombre sincero {GIVEAWAY}

Today's giveaway is a new book by a new author. Magdalena Zenaida has written a lovely, bilingual, picture book for children introducing them to the famous Cuban poet, José Martí. Centered around one of Martí's first books of poetry, Versos sencillos, this book talks about his life as a young man and touches on a few of the events that influenced his writing, as well as the many places he lived while exiled from Cuba.

Don't let the title fool you. (It was the first thing I noticed, too.) I don't believe it is meant to be a literal translation as we typically see in most bilingual titles. The book is written in English, with some of the Spanish verses from the poem scattered throughout the text. And at the back is an excerpt from Versos sencillos along with a translation that is again, not a literal one, but rather one that conveys the meaning within his poem perfectly.

In addition, Zenaida has included a couple of pages with a more informative biography of Martí's life in the back of the book that includes more details about his role and influence in Cuba's revolution for independence. You'll also learn more about his works, including Abdala, La Patria Libre, Ismaelillo, and La Edad de Oro.

This is the first picture book I've seen about José Martí, and Argentinian Gastón Hauviller's illustrations are sweet and engaging. I'm glad to finally see Martí as the subject of a children's book. It's available in paperback and best suited for kids ages 4 to 8.

THREE MommyMaestra readers will win a signed copy graciously donated by the author.